NEWARK — A 57-year-old Newark man who prosecutors say kidnapped a young girl and created child pornography out of his home and tractor-trailer pleaded not guilty to the charges today during his first appearance in Superior Court.

Pedro R. Rios, who operated a video production business out of his home, was charged with three counts of kidnapping, five counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of hindering apprehension.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office's Cyber Crimes Unit identified Rios during an investigation into a file-sharing software used to exchange images and videos of child pornography, said Assistant Prosecutor Deborah Freier, who is handling the case.

Authorities say Rios shared, possessed and manufactured images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of children, both from his home in Newark and in his tractor-trailer.

The pornography authorities found led them to the victim in a parallel investigation conducted by the Special Victims Unit. Rios is alleged to have kidnapped the child from Newark when she was younger than 13 for the purpose of sexually assaulting her. The sexual assaults took place in another county, prosecutors said. Rios has not been charged with sexual assault.

Upon learning of the investigation, Rios fled the state but was captured by agents from the U.S. Marshals Service on Feb. 13 in Santa Ana, Calif., authorities said. He was extradited to New Jersey on Feb. 27.

Rios entered a not guilty plea at his first court appearance this afternoon via closed circuit television. He is being held in lieu of $725,000 bail in the Hudson County Jail.

Acting Prosecutor Carolyn Murray asked anyone with information to contact the Essex County Prosecutor's Office tips line at (877) 847-7432.